Have a budget. How much will it cost to make product, ship product, etc. Plan for the worst case scenario.

Figure out your tiers. The main price point that most people hit: $25

Treat the people who are backing you as patrons. Give them great incentives for donating.

Make sure you have enough time for your campaign. Check shipping times for people giving things to you.

Communicate with your backers. Stay in contact.

People want to give! If you have a great project and are good to your patrons, they will be excited to be your fans and give you feedback.

Learn from prior kickstarters – what works and what didn’t work.

Promotions: Word of mouth, Twitter, Facebook, Website

Stretch goals: Create them! What will you do if you’ve exceeded your initial goal? If you had the money, what would you do?

Tell people to buy your stuff! Be direct about your promoting, be excited about it, and DON’T BE SHY about your project. Cross-promote with friends that have other projects going.

How crucial is video?: DO IT! Get your face on the video. This creates a human connection.

Points to take home
Budget
Take it seriously
Treat your patrons well. They are your customers.
This is taxable income. It is NOT free money!
Do NOT cold message people about your project. Create rapport first. It is also against Kickstarter TOS.
Research!